Packaging, mixing and dispensing apparatus



April 9, 1968 L. DE HART ETAL 3,376,999

PACKAGING, MIXING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed May 51, 1967 ii/vebfras.

l/zxay 1/. $517527; SP N ER el. 51 E542.

- 3,376,999 PACKAGING, MIXING ANSD DISPENSING I APPARATU Larry L. De Hart, Pomona, and Spencer J. Speer, Ontario,

Callf., assignors to General Dynamics Corporation, a

corporation of Delaware Filed May 31, 1967, Ser. No. 642,507

. Claims. (Cl. 222135) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure is directed to a syringe-like construction which is adapted to serve as a package and also serve for mixing and dispensing two separate materials which must be mixed in fixed ratios and dispensed in measured amounts. Generally the syringe-like apparatus comprises a dual chamber and plunger construction wherein one of the syringe-like unit s acts as a plunger for the second syringe-like unit, and wherein one of the syringe-like units contains a mixer connected to a manipulating rod. Each of the plungers is provided with a ferrule for preventing depression until actually desired. In addition, the wall between the chambers of the syringe-like units is provided with a rupturable or blow out seal. In use, when the ingredients are merged, the impeller is manipulated by the actuator rod so as to intimately mix the substances, whereupon the rod may be unthreaded from the impeller so as to provide an exit for the mixture.

Background of the invention This invention relates to packaging, mixing and dispensing apparatus, and more particularly to such an apparatus wherein two materials are separately packaged, mixed together in fixed ratios, and the mixture dispensed in measured amounts.

Much prior effort has been directed to apparatus or injectors wherein a powder and a diluent are separately packaged in the required amounts, with the mixture being accomplished by injecting the diluent into the powder, and the mixture ejected as needed. Such prior efforts are exemplified by US. Patents 2,869,543 and 3,052,239. Also, as exemplified by US. Patent-3,197,067, prior efforts have been directed to providing a mixer assembly which can be inserted in a container for mixing the material therein, whereafter the mixture is ejected as desired. However, none of the known prior efforts have been directed to providing a packaging, mixing and dispensing apparatus wherein various ratios of two materials can be selectively mixed and dispensed in measured amounts.

Summary of the invention This invention provides such a needed packaging, mixing and dispensing apparatus wherein the individual packaging sections are provided with ferrules for preventing inadvertent dispensing, and the mixing is accomplished by an impeller manipulated by a removable rod, which upon'removal provides a discharge passage for the mixture.

' Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a packaging, mixing and dispensing apparatus. g

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for packaging a two-part compound, mixing the parts in fixed ratios, and dispensing the mixture in measured amounts.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a syringelike apparatus adapted toserve as a package and also serve for mixing and dispensing two separate materials which 3,376,999 Patented Apr. 9, 1968 2 t may be mixed in various ratios and dispensed in measured amounts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a packaging, mixing and dispensing apparatus wherein the material is mixed by manipulating an impeller, and the mixture is dispensed through an aperture created by the removal of the impeller manipulating means.

Other objects of the invention will become readily apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a partially exploded view of an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is an assembled view of the FIG. 1 device with portions cut-away to illustrate various components thereof.

Description 0 the embodiment The primary components of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings comprises a dasher or actuator rod 10, a mixer or agitator impeller 11 threadedly or otherwise removably secured to rod 10, a secondary syringe-tube or barrel assembly 12, a primary syringe-tube or barrel assembly 13, a blow-out seal assembly 14 for syringe-tube 13, a secondary plunger retainer ferrel 15, a primary syringe plunger 16, and a primary plunger retainer ferrel 17, said primary syringe-tube 13 functioning as the plunger for the secondary syringe-tube 12. Dasher or actuator rod 10 is provided with a knob or handle 18 which is theraded thereon to assist in turning of the impeller 11. Mixer impeller 11 is provided with a tapering or conical portion 19 which is configured similar to a conical or tapering end portion 20 of secondary syringe-tube 12 and coacts with tube portion 20 such that it is held thereby to allow the dasher rod 10 to be unscrewed therefrom for discharge of the material from syringe-tube 12 via a discharge nozzle 21 thereof. Secondary syringe-tube 12 is additionally provided with a flange portion 22 which functions to assist the discharge operation thereof as known in the art. Primary syringe-tube 13 is provided with a flanged portion 23 at the rearward end thereof and a tapering portion 24 at the forward end which terminates in a discharge nozzle 25. Seal assembly 14 includes an end cap 26 which maybe constructed of rubber or other suitable material and which is constructed for a snug fit over' the discharge nozzle 25 of syringe-tube 13, and a piston 27 secured to end cap 26 by a rod 28. Secondary plunger retainer ferrel 15 includes a flange portion 29 and is of the removable reusable typev and may include a slot (not shown) extending longitudinally thereof or other like means whereby the ferrel may be expanded for removal from or replacement over the primary syringe-tube 13. Primary syringe plunger 16 is provided with a tapered forward end portion 30, a body portion composed of a plurality of ribs 31 and a flanged rear portion 32, with a Wiper seal member 33 positioned to the rear of tapered end portion 30. Primary plunger retainer ferrel 17 includes a-flange portion 34 and may be constructed as described above with respect to ferrel 15. Primary syringe-tube 13 is provided with a wiper seal 35 adjacent the end 24 thereof. Seals 33 and 35 may be constructed from neoprene or other suitable material. i

As pointed out above, this invention is particularly applicable for packaging, mixing and dispensing a two-part compound which must be mixed in fixed ratios of one part to the other and dispensed in measured amounts.

With, for example, primary syringe-tube 13 containing compound A and secondary syringe-tube 12 containing compound B, and with ferrels 15 and 17 and the impeller- 3 dasher rod (11-10) positioned as shown in FIG. operational sequencev is as follows:

(1) Ferrel 17 is removed from about primary syringe plunger 16.

(2) Actuate plunger 16 by moving same to the left as shown in the drawings which applies pressure to compound A in syringe-tube 13 and the thus applied pressure acts against piston 27 of the blow-out seal assembly 14 which in turn forces the end cap 26 from about nozzle 25 and compound A is injected into syringe-tube 12.

(3) Manipulate mixer impeller 11 by reciprocating and/ or rotating actuator or dasher rod until the required mix consistency of compounds A and B with syringe-tube 12 is obtained.

(4) Withdraw the rod 10 such that impeller 11 contacts and is frictionally held by conical portion of syringe-tube 12, and unscrew the rod from the impeller.

(5) Remove ferrel 15 from about the primary syringetube 13, which frees the syringe-tube 13 to act as a plunger for the secondary syringe-tube 12.

(6) Depress the syringe-tube 13 (move to the left as shown) to dispense the mixed compounds A and B from syringe-tube 12 via discharge nozzle 21.

While not shown, the primary syringe-tube 13 and the secondary syringe-tube 12 may be provided with calibrations to indicate the amount of the compound or mixture ejected from or remaining therein. While the apparatus has been illustrated as cylindrical, the components thereof may have other cooperative configurations and the flanged portions thereof may be configured to serve as a pistol grip for actuating same. Also, each of the syringe-tubes 12 and 13 may be refilled through the open rearward end thereof with the desired compounds or other material to be separately packaged, mixed and dispensed. Also, it is readily apparent that the inventive kit or apparatus can be prefilled in required amounts and utilized for one-shot type applications, and the kit or apparatus discarded thereafter. In addition, a needle assembly may be attached to the discharge nozzle of the secondary syringe-tube if desired, while the primary syringe-tube may have a blunt or flat closed end with a passageway therethrough which serves as the discharge nozzle therefor.

While not shown, it is within the scope of this invention to modify the primary syringe-tube or barrel assembly 13 by replacing the blow-out seal assembly 14 with a rupturable disc or diaphragm type seal which extends across the discharge nozzle of syringe-tube 13, and by modifying the actuator rod 10 such that it extends through the agitator impeller internal end thereof, such as by tapering, so as to serve as a means for rupturing the disc or diaphragm of the syringe-tube 13 upon movement of either, the tube 13 or the rod 10 toward one another. Also, the rupturable 2, the

disc may be of the type which can be ruptured by the force on the compound within the primary chamber created by the movement of the plunger therein.

It has thus been shown that the present invention provides an effective apparatus for packaging, mixing, and dispensing a two-part compound or material which must be mixed in fixed ratios of one to the other, and dispensed in measured amounts.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, modifications and changes will become apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and changes as may come within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. An apparatus for packaging, mixing and dispensing material comprising: a first barrel assembly being open at one end, said barrel assembly having at the end opposite said one end a discharge nozzle-like portion, a second barrel assembly being open at one end, said second barrel assembly being slidably disposed within said 11 and is configured at the first barrel assembly and positionable so as to form a -chamber within said first barrel assembly designed to contain a material, a seal assembly mounted on said second barrel assembly and adapted to open communication between said chamber and the interior of said second barrel assembly, a plunger assembly slidably disposed within said second barrel assembly and positionable therein to form a second chamber designed to contain a material whereby upon movement by at least two of said assemblies with respect to one another causes said seal assembly to be forcibly opened thereby providing communication between said chambers and allowing material contained in said second chamber to be injected into said first-mentioned chamber, means movably positioned in said first-mentioned chamber and having a portion thereof extending outwardly through said nozzle-like portion of said first barrel assembly for agitating material contained therein, said outwardly extending portion of said agitating means being removable so as to provide open communication through said nozzle-like portion between said first-mentioned chamber and the exterior of said first barrel assembly, said second barrel assembly serving as a plunger member movable into said first barrel assembly to eject material from said first-mentioned chamber through said nozzle-like portion of said first barrel assembly.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second barrel assemblies and said plunger assembly are substantially cylindrical, wherein said opposite end of said first barrel assembly includes a tapered portion, and wherein said agitating means includes an impeller means, said outwardly extending portion of said agitating means comprises a rod-like means removably secured to said impeller means.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2, wherein impeller means includes a tapered portion configured to cooperate with said tapered portion of said first barrel assembly, whereby contact between said tapered impeller portion and said tapered first barrel assembly portion produces a frictional retaining effect on said impeller means sufficient to allow said rod-like means to be removed therefrom.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein each of said second barrel assembly and said plunger assembly is provided with a wiper seal assembly.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said seal assembly is of the blow-out type and comprises an end cap portion, a piston-like portion, and a rod-like portion interconnecting said end cap and piston-like portions, said end cap portion being positioned and adapted for covering at least the terminal end of said nozzle-like portion of said second barrel assembly, said rod-like portion extending through and movable in said second barrel assembly nozzle-like portion, and said piston-like portion being located within said second chamber.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 1, additionally including a pair of removable plunger retaining means, one of said retaining means being positioned about said second barrel assembly and the other of said retaining means being positioned about said plunger assembly, thereby preventing movement of said plunger assembly into said second barrel assembly and preventing movement of said second barrel assembly into said first barrel assembly.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second barrel assemblies includes an outwardly extending flange portion adjacent the open end thereof.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said agitating means comprises an impeller member, and said outwardly extending portion of said agitating means comprises a rod means removably attached to said impeller member.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein said impeller member is provided with a threaded portion, wherein said rod means is provided with a threaded portion designed to threadedly cooperate with the threaded por- References Cited tion of said impeller member, and wherein said rod UNITED STATES PATENTS means is provided with a handle-like portion.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said 2841'145 7/1958 EPPS, 128-218 first barrel assembly includes a tapered portion at said 5 2,869,543 1/1959 Ratchff et a1 128 218 opposite end, and wherein said agitating means includes 2939459 6/1960 a at 128 218 a portion configured to cooperate with said tapered bar- 3,013,697 12/1961 m 222-135 rel portion, whereby contact between said tapered bar- 3,052,240 9/1962 Silver et 128 218 rel portion and said configured agitating means portion 310821914 3/1963 G111 222-435 produces a frictional retaining force on said agitating 10 3,197,067 7/1965 Rataczak 222-130 means such that said outwardly extending portion of said agitating means can be readily removed therefrom. SAMUEL COLEMAN Primary Examiner 

